A Tale of Fire & Ice
by MegEl
Summary: Krypton is dying. Prince Kal-El and his cousin Kara are sent to Earth on behalf of their people to beseech the kingdom of Metropolis for sanctuary. Complicating matters is Kal-El's growing attraction for the Princess Lois. [Set in a medieval-type AU.]
1. Ice Meets Fire

**DISCLAIMER:** I don't own the characters, nor am I in any way affiliated with the show, or with Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster. This story is purely for entertainment purposes.

**A/N:** This story was partly inspired by **In the Eyes of My Enemy** over at the Divine Intervention forums.

**A/N #2:** Okay, it was inspired a _lot_ by that story. But in my defense, you can't just leave me hanging on such an addictive story for three years without updating once in a while (not that I'm one to talk, admittedly); otherwise, I start getting ideas. And thinking. (Points if you got that reference!) ;)

**A/N #3:** Now, I know the title seems to be a reference to **Game of Thrones**, and it partially is with regards to the medieval aspect of the story (with some inspiration taken from CW's **Reign**), but it more refers to the fact that Lois is full of fire while Kal-El is from an icy planet and considered 'cold' by Earth standards.

**A/N #4:** Happy birthday to the one and only **Tom Welling**! :D You just keep on aging like a fine wine. ;)

* * *

"Presenting Prince Kal-El of Krypton, son of King Jor-El and Queen Lara, and his cousin Lady Kara, daughter of the Duke Zor-El and the Duchess Alura," the royal herald announced to those who were assembled in the palace's great hall. Chief in attendance were King Jonathan of Metropolis, his wife Queen Martha, and their daughters, the Princesses Lana, Chloe, and Lois.

From the open double doors at the other end of the hall entered a tall, dark-haired man and a blonde that reached to about the man's chin. They each wore a dark blue tunic, a silver breastplate, black breeches, and a deep red cape that flowed from their shoulders to the floor. Lady Kara's long hair was braided in places, which Lois thought gave her a feminine yet battle-hardened appearance.

As they strode past nobles and commoners alike, towards the dais upon which the royal family stood waiting patiently for them to approach, the cousins' heads were held regally high but not pompously so.

"My, he's so handsome," Princess Lana whispered to her two older sisters, shielding her mouth with her hands.

"My thoughts precisely," Princess Chloe replied quietly, also concealing her words.

"He's okay," Princess Lois opined with a shrug. Unlike her sisters, she didn't bother with covering her mouth, figuring it would've just drawn more attention to their conversation. Besides, it's not like the prince could've made out what they were saying anyway.

"Okay?" Chloe echoed. "He's more than okay. He's..."

"Perfect," Lana finished for her, sighing.

Reluctantly, Lois admitted, "I'll admit he does seem to possess a certain...rugged appeal."

At that, Chloe and Lana exchanged knowing smirks. Meanwhile, it seemed Lois's assessment of the prince had been a bit premature; she thought she saw a corner of his mouth twitch, as if he'd heard her and was holding back a smile. She narrowed her eyes suspiciously.

As the prince and his cousin approached, they were accompanied by another dark-haired man who walked a couple of steps behind them. Lois assumed he was an advisor the prince had been allowed to bring with him, a general by the name of Zod whose counsel Kal-El's family had come to trust. Zod sported a goatee, a black tunic, black breeches, and a black cape. Like the cousins he served, he too wore a silver breastplate; only, Kal-El's was bigger as it had to cover a broader, more muscular chest while Kara had on a more feminine version of the armor.

It was only when the trio had stopped just short of the dais that Lois noticed another difference in their armor. While all three breastplates had sculpted torsos seemingly chiseled onto them, Kal-El and Kara's chests each bore a symbol consisting of an 'S' inside of a five-sided shield, whereas Zod's chest bore a stylized 'Z'. From that, Lois figured that the symbols were family crests, or perhaps indications of their rank.

The prince and Lady Kara bowed to the king and queen, their right fists crossed to the left sides of their chests, clearly a Kryptonian gesture meant to indicate respect. Kal-El then addressed the king and queen, "Your Majesties. My father sends his regards. He would be here himself, but with the turmoil plaguing our homeworld, my cousin and I have come in his stead."

By all reports, the Kryptonians' homeworld was dying, and so Kal-El had been sent to plead their case to the Metropolitans in the hopes of relocating their people. From the day he and the rest of his Kryptonian entourage had arrived, most in Metropolis had taken an instant dislike to them, considering them too foreign, too alien, to be trustworthy. Which is why, as Lois and Kal-El both knew, this meeting between the two peoples was so important.

As it was, a ship bearing a few essential Kryptonian personnel (plus a few non-essential personnel, as Lois was later to learn) hovered in the sky above the kingdom.

"It's perfectly alright, Prince Kal-El," King Jonathan assured him, smiling warmly. "Believe me, we understand."

"Thank you, Your Highness."

Queen Martha spoke up, "Please, Prince Kal-El, allow us to present to you our three wonderful, beautiful daughters."

Starting with the petite brunette next to her, she informed him, "This is our youngest, Lana."

The prince bowed his head politely, while Princess Lana gave a little curtsy.

Then, indicating a petite blonde on Lana's other side, she introduced her and Jonathan's middle child, Chloe. Again, the prince bowed his head to her, and Princess Chloe curtsied slightly in response.

Finally, Martha introduced their eldest daughter, Lois, who was a bit taller and a bit curvier than her sisters. She too curtsied, but when she finished, she found the prince gazing at her intently, seemingly mesmerized.

It was flattering but unnerving at the same time.

She resisted the urge to visibly gulp. Instead, she'd been taught to closely guard her emotions in certain situations, and she now used that training to match his gaze with a subtle but challenging one of her own, even as she felt a twinge in her belly, as if she were a harp and someone had struck a chord in her. However, her refusal to show weakness only seemed to earn her a lopsided smirk from the prince.

Mercifully, the moment was over as quickly as it had begun. The prince returned his attention to King Jonathan and Queen Martha, who smiled knowingly.

Clearing his throat, Kal-El got down to the reason why he was there, "Now, as you know, Your Majesties, my homeworld is currently unstable; quakes are becoming more and more frequent, and increasing in their intensity. In a matter of months, the planet will destroy itself, taking my people along with it."

At the prince's words, the king and queen sobered. Queen Martha replied sympathetically, "Yes, Prince Kal-El, we are fully aware of the situation on your world, and our hearts reside with you and your people."

"Unfortunately, that is not enough," he continued. "Now, we have the resources to evacuate everyone before our world is destroyed, but we have no place else to go. Our leading minds have determined that your world is most like ours, and we would be willing to share some advancements we've made if you would allow us to bring our people here."

King Jonathan countered, "Unfortunately, Prince Kal-El, Metropolis lacks the resources to sustain all of your people. Not to mention, there is simply not enough land to go around. However, if your people don't mind being separated, I'd be willing to speak with lords from the surrounding provinces about helping you to relocate."

"Thank you, Your Highness. While it's not ideal, I'm sure my people would accept that arrangement."

"Excellent. Come sunrise, I'll send a messenger to each of the provinces, asking the lords to meet with me. In the meantime, Prince Kal-El, Lady Kara, you and your advisor are more than welcome to stay here in the palace."

"Thank you, Your Highness," Kara told them, speaking up for the first time.

Also speaking for the first time was Zod, revealing a richly accented voice as he addressed the king, "Your Highness, I too thank you for your hospitality, but I have a young son aboard our vessel. I cannot leave him behind."

"He's welcome to stay here too. The more, the merrier!"

"Thank you, King Jonathan of Metropolis," Zod replied, bowing his head.

"Don't mention it. Now that that's settled, I'm sure Lois would be more than happy to give you three a tour of the palace, and show you to your quarters."

The princess in question turned wide, surprised eyes on her father, as if to ask 'Why me?!' King Jonathan, however, fixed her with a stern look, the kind of look that told her that it was not up for discussion.

So, Lois quickly returned her attention to Prince Kal-El and his companions, informing them, "Yes, I'd be happy to. If you'll just follow me, Your Highness."

With that, she lifted up the skirt of her dress, just as the prince rushed over and held out his hand to help her off the dais. She studied him for a moment, before finally accepting his hand.

As politely as she could, she told him, "Thank you, Prince Kal-El, but I am perfectly capable of stepping down by myself."

"Lois!" Queen Martha chided.

"It's quite alright, Your Highness," Kal-El assured her. "Princess Lois is just speaking her mind, a trait we admire on Krypton."

Then, turning to General Zod, the prince asked, "Are you coming?"

"Actually, I was going to take my leave of you, sire. I need to retrieve my son Dru-Zod, and inform the others that you, Lady Kara, and I will be staying here in the palace."

"Very good, General."

Zod saluted the prince and Lady Kara Kryptonian-style, before turning and striding back down the aisle, towards the door from which they'd entered. Kal-El then turned back around in time to watch Lois head towards a side entryway. He and Kara quickly followed after her, just as someone approached the dais from among the crowd of Metropolitan subjects.

When Lois heard the newcomer's all-too-familiar voice, she stopped in her tracks in the entryway, then whirled about to find a well-dressed noble addressing her parents and occasionally smiling adoringly up at Princess Lana. Despite his relatively young age, he was bald, supposedly because of a curse that had been enacted on him when he was boy, a curse that had been meant to punish the deeds of his notoriously wicked father.

Kal-El and Kara followed her gaze, before returning their eyes to Lois and then back to the bald man.

"Former lover, I presume?" Kara asked, going by the heated glare she was giving him.

"Lord Alexander, or Lex as he prefers," Lois informed them, saying the name with distaste. "I don't know about royals on Krypton, but my sisters and I haven't taken any lovers, nor do we intend to until the marriage bed."

Lois was still so focused on Lex that she completely missed the looks Kal-El and his cousin exchanged at that pronouncement. Kara suppressed a smile, while Kal-El arched an eyebrow, intrigued.

Oblivious, Lois continued, "Though, that hasn't stopped Lex from making his...affections for my sister Lana well-known. Obsession, more like. And for some reason I can't fathom, she seems to fancy him too."

Kara next asked, "Since they're not already married, I take it that the king doesn't approve of the union?"

It was at that moment that Lois spun on her heels, relying on Kara and Kal-El to follow as she answered, "That, and he'd prefer to marry me off first."

"I see," Kara replied, falling into step on Lois's right while her cousin walked on the princess's left, his hands held loosely behind his back.

As Lois gave them a tour, Kal-El took note of two blondes starting to follow them. Still, he continued on with the topic of marriage, pointing out, "Surely, a princess as beautiful as you doesn't lack for suitors?"

Lois, however, noticed him noticing her entourage, and quickly explained, "The one on the right is my lady-in-waiting, Courtney; the one on the left is Dinah, my personal guard. Dinah's much less conspicuous than Carter, our big, burly captain of the guard, and since she's a woman, everyone assumes she's just another of my ladies."

"Clever," Kal-El commended.

Then, getting back on topic, the princess added, "But to answer your question: no, my lack of a husband is not for lack of suitors. Granted, I don't have quite as many admirers as Lana, but when I marry, I'd rather be in love first."

"And does your father agree with that sentiment?" he asked.

She chose her next words carefully, answering, "He's...sympathetic. His marriage to my mother had been an arranged one, but they grew to respect each other and eventually learned to love one another. They even forged an unbreakable bond. I know I have a duty to my people to give them a suitable king and produce heirs, but I envy what my parents have."

"I know what you mean," he replied. "My parents had been engaged since birth, but they'd spent a lot of time together as children and they fell in love in their youth."

Suddenly confused, plus another emotion she couldn't name, Lois asked him, "So, you've been engaged since you were born?"

"Yes. To Lady Zara of the Argo Province. It's customary on Krypton for those of highborn status. Unfortunately, Zara and I never really connected, not like my parents. I even suspect she's in love with someone else."

Lois wasn't sure how to feel about that. Some small part of her felt relieved, though she couldn't explain why, even to herself. It wasn't as if she had romantic designs on him; she hardly knew him!

Finally, she settled for trying to comfort him, "Kal-El, I'm sorry."

At that, he exchanged another look with Lady Kara, this one wary, before replying, "Thank you, but perhaps it's all for the best."

"That's a very..._cold_ way to look at it."

"Not cold," Kara gently corrected, "practical. Kryptonians are a very pragmatic race."

"I'm sorry, but I see no distinction," Lois countered. Neither Kara nor her cousin said anything to that, so instead, Lois quickly tried to keep the three of them from lapsing into an uncomfortable silence, "So, Kara, you're highborn as well. Does that mean that you're engaged too?"

Lady Kara answered, "Yes, though my betrothal isn't nearly as urgent as my cousin's."

"Right, of course. He's next in line."

"Yes, that's it precisely," Kara cautiously agreed.

Out of the corner of her eyes, she fixed her cousin with a steely gaze, to which he nodded once, knowing what he had to do and knowing he'd have to do it soon.

Lois, oblivious to the exchange, continued on with the tour.

...

That night, Lois and her family feasted in the dining hall with their Kryptonian guests, including General Zod's young son, who was the spitting image of his father.

As they ate, Lois cheerfully made small talk with the boy, "So, Dru-Zod. Do you mind if I call you Dru?"

"If you'd like, Princess."

"Please, call me Lois. Now, Dru, I know you didn't get to have a good look around the palace earlier, so how about I give you the grand tour tomorrow? Would you like that?"

"Yes, very much so," he replied enthusiastically.

"Great." After a beat, Lois added, "You know, if I had to guess, I'd say you were right around eight years old."

"Seven, actually. But I'll be eight this year."

"I think one of the cooks has a son about your age. Since I know these talks your father will be participating in can get quite boring, I think you and he can keep each other entertained. I can introduce you two during our tour."

"Thank you, Prin— Lois."

"Great," she repeated, beaming. "Then, it's all settled."

Throughout the entire exchange, General Zod had watched the two with a smile. Meanwhile, Prince Kal-El and King Jonathan had been involved in an intense discussion, but broke off when they noticed Dru and Princess Lois conversing lively with each other. Pretty soon, everyone else at the table had begun watching them as well.

As Lois and Dru continued talking animatedly to each other, blissfully ignorant of the audience they had drawn, Martha and Jonathan exchanged knowing smiles. So, too, did Kal-El and Kara, though theirs had an underlying intent to it.

Regardless, all four seemed to share the exact same thought: _She'll make an excellent mother someday._

...

Princess Lois had always possessed a curious nature. As a child, she'd explored every inch of the palace from top to bottom, even if she couldn't convince her sisters to accompany her on her explorations (which wasn't often).

So, it wasn't surprising when, following an evening stroll in the palace gardens, Lois had been on her way back to her quarters, when the faint sound of voices in an empty corridor had piqued her interest. It also wasn't surprising when she'd quickly located the source of the voices, realizing they were coming from behind an intricate tapestry to her left, a tapestry she knew concealed one of the walls to Prince Kal-El's room.

Intrigued, she quickly slipped behind the tapestry, and found a wrought iron grate, carefully lifting up the thin metal slot that covered it. She didn't know why it had been put there, only that she'd come across it while playing hide-and-seek with her sisters years ago. The grate itself was big enough for her to peer through, yet small enough as to not be noticeable by the room's occupant.

Or, rather, occupants.

Through the grate, there was no one in sight, but she could make out two distinct voices, one belonging to Kal-El and the other being that of General Zod.

Zod was saying, "Do you believe Princess Lois will be a problem, sire?"

The prince replied, "Certainly not. She may not be happy with the arrangement at first, but I think she knows what's at stake."

"If nothing else, sire, I have the utmost confidence in your ability to convince her."

"Thank you, General." Sighing wearily, Kal-El added, "Now, please. Leave me. I have a feeling I'll need plenty of rest if I'm to convince the princess of anything."

Though unseen, Lois childishly stuck her tongue out at them, not liking what they were saying about her.

"She does seem to have a certain..._fire_ within her," Zod agreed.

Lois could hear a slight smile in his voice even as he said it, and it in turn made her smile.

She next heard the shifting of boots and cloth on the floor as the general turned to leave. However, he stopped, asking, "Shall I send for Maxima, sire?"

For a moment, there was silence, as if Kal-El was contemplating the answer to that.

Finally, he replied, "Certainly, General."

"Very well, sire."

With that, the door opened and closed, and Kal-El was left alone in his quarters.

He heaved another weary sigh, before finally coming into view of the grate. Facing the bed while his back faced Lois, he began undressing, starting with his cape and boots. He then reached to one side of his breastplate, unfastening it and taking that off as well.

When he next removed his tunic, leaving him in only his breeches, Lois involuntarily let out a small sigh at the sight of his sinewy back. It was nearly inaudible, but still, Kal-El quickly turned his head, seemingly having heard it. Holding her breath, she studied his profile a moment, before he relaxed again.

She knew she should've just returned to her room once she'd realized what he was doing, but she hadn't been lying when she'd told him and Kara that she and her sisters were virgins. She herself had never even _seen_ a man in his natural state, and as far as she knew, neither had her siblings. And so, curiosity had gotten the better of her.

Suddenly, there was a knock on the prince's door.

"Sire," one of the guards said, poking his head in, "there's a woman to see you."

"Send her in," Kal-El instructed.

The guard obeyed, closing the door after her.

Kal-El then turned to face the new arrival, allowing Lois a glimpse of his impressive pecs and abdomen, which looked to have been chiseled on to him by a master sculptor. Clearly, his breastplate had been modeled on the real deal.

"You sent for me, Your Highness?" the newcomer asked, an air of seduction to her voice.

"Yes. Thank you for coming, Maxima."

"Of course, Your Highness," she replied, joining him in front of the grate.

She had long, silky red hair, which was tied up in a high ponytail, and wore a crimson cloak that had a strange symbol on the shoulder.

_Another family crest, perhaps?_ Lois wondered. _Or maybe it means that she's some sort of mystic, or a healer._

Grinning hungrily at Kal-El, Maxima asked, "So, will it be the usual tonight?"

"Let's just see how things progress," he told her.

"Of course. Anything for you." With that, Maxima undid the clasp of her cloak and slipped it off, revealing an intricately designed halter top and bottom, both of which appeared to be made of metal.

For a while afterwards, nothing happened. Then, finally, Kal-El pulled her close, and started moving his lips over hers. However, the kiss itself, while full of lust, was somehow devoid of any actual passion. Lois wasn't entirely sure what she was witnessing, but at least she now was very certain that this Maxima person was neither a mystic nor a healer.

_Unless she's healing him through his mouth_, her mind added sarcastically.

Lois was just about to leave and head back to her own room, but then, Maxima broke off the kiss, instead using her mouth to make a trail down to his neck, his bulging pecs, and his washboard abs. When she reached the top of his breeches, she slowly pulled them down, inadvertently baring Kal-El's very impressive manhood to Lois's virgin eyes.

Suddenly, Lois was mesmerized, held captive by her own curious nature.

Especially when Maxima next took the length of his manhood into her mouth. Gripping his shaft firmly, Maxima slowly moved back and forth over him, while Kal-El gently held on to the back of her head, his breath deepening and his eyelids reducing themselves to slits.

After a moment of that, the prince stopped her, his length now throbbing with life. He helped her to her feet, and immediately attached his mouth to her neck, his strong hands holding her firmly to him. She moaned in ecstasy, eagerly offering her neck to him, as one of his hands unerringly reached to unclasp her top before sliding around to one of her sides to undo the bottom.

_Well, he's clearly done that a time or two_, Lois thought with a twinge of jealousy.

As soon as Maxima's underclothes fell away, hitting the floor with a sound like metal on stone, Kal-El slid his hands to the backs of her thighs, lifting her up to wrap her legs around his waist. She clung tightly to his shoulders, invading his mouth with her own as he walked around to the foot of the bed and deposited them both on the mattress.

_Okay, I think I've seen enough!_

With that, Lois left the lovers to their coupling, carefully sliding the metal slot back into place and peeking her head out from behind the tapestry. After making sure the corridor was still empty, she quickly made her way back to her own quarters, where she stayed for the rest of the night and where she dreamed fitful dreams of the prince and his female companion.

**TO BE CONTINUED...**


	2. The Cold Shoulder

**DISCLAIMER:** I don't own the characters, nor am I in any way affiliated with the show, or with Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster. This story is purely for entertainment purposes.

**A/N:** Thank you to everyone who patiently awaited this next chapter, and a special thank you to all who followed, favorited, and/or took the time to feed the Review Junkie. ;) And speaking of, to **clarkfan325**: Thank you. I'm glad you're enjoying so far. :) To the person who left a **Guest** review: I'm sorry that you feel that way. But the scene between Kal-El and Maxima actually serves a purpose. Several, in fact. So, I just ask that you just please bear with me because I assure you, the story gets a lot better from here on out. :)

**EDIT:** The scene between Kal-El and Maxima in chapter one has now been shortened (though, the original scene is still intact for the time being over at AO3). Also, I've gone back and tried to make Kal-El more sympathetic in this chapter, as it was pointed out to me that I'd made it seem like Kal-El was going to keep carrying on his little 'affair' with Maxima.

* * *

The following morning, Kal-El awoke with Maxima curled up against him, her head pillowed on one of his pecs while one shapely leg was entwined with his. Careful not to disturb her, he slipped out of bed, washed his face in a basin on the other side of the room, and dressed. He left the redhead still sleeping, though instructed one of the guards to escort her back to the ship once she'd awoken and gotten dressed.

He then headed to the dining hall, which he found empty except for servants in the process of setting out food. As they passed him, they mumbled formal salutations in his direction.

Sauntering over to the table, he studied the enticing but foreign offerings. Before he would've chosen something, though, a familiar, feminine voice suggested coolly, "Try the strawberries."

He turned to find Lois standing in the entryway, an unreadable expression on her face.

She approached, adding, "They're delicious this time of year."

One corner of his mouth turned up, and he saluted her in Kryptonian fashion, "Princess."

"Prince Kal-El. I trust you slept well."

"Yes, thank you. You?"

"I slept just fine. Thank you for asking." She answered him not so much politely as excessively formal.

He'd thought from their interactions the previous day that they'd already moved past that, which is why he regarded her strangely for a moment, before finally dismissing her tone with a shake of his head.

He then scanned the table, as he started to ask, "So, which ones are the — ?"

Before he could complete that thought, though, Lois picked up the red fruit and offered it to him, holding it between her thumb and first two fingers.

"I take it strawberries aren't native to Krypton?" she inquired.

He shook his head, glancing back down at the table as he replied, "Most of this fare isn't."

"Well, just don't eat the green part, and you should be fine."

She again offered him the strawberry, and this time, he accepted it. Leaning forward, he placed his hand gently over hers, and took a bite.

Was he imagining things, or did she shiver from the contact?

"Hmm," he opined, straightening even as he savored the luscious fruit, "you were right, that _is_ delicious."

"See? I told you." She quickly busied herself with discarding the rest of the strawberry in favor of grabbing one for herself, and otherwise avoided prolonged and direct eye contact.

He watched her a moment, reminded of the silent promise he'd made to Kara just the day before.

He began, "Listen, Lois, I'm glad we're alone because there's something I need to speak with you about."

"Oh?" Her detached demeanor was back in place.

He continued on, though. Or, at least, he tried to. Right at that moment, Lois's parents and sisters filed into the room, as did Kara, Zod, and Dru.

Sighing in resignation, Kal-El said, "It looks like we'll have to continue this some other time."

"As you wish," she replied indifferently, moving to have a seat.

Before Kal-El could've followed suit, Kara and Zod approached. Dru, meanwhile, went to sit with Lois, who beckoned him over.

Kara asked urgently, "Did you tell her?"

"I didn't get the chance."

"I was afraid of that. You need to find a way to tell her, and soon. The fate of our entire world hinges on this."

"You're not helping," he informed her, scowling.

With that, he turned and joined the others at the table, followed by his cousin and Zod.

At the head of the table was, of course, King Jonathan, with Queen Martha to his right and Princess Chloe on his left. Next to Chloe was Lois, with Dru on her other side and General Zod situated next to him. On the opposite side of the table, Princess Lana sat next to her mother, with Kal-El taking the seat on Lana's other side as he wanted to keep himself as close to Lois as possible. Finally, Lady Kara chose to sit beside her cousin, directly opposite Zod.

As they broke their fast, Jonathan announced, "Prince Kal-El, you may be happy to know that a messenger is on his way to each of the provinces as we speak. I assigned the fastest runner in the kingdom to the task, so the nobles should all receive word before nightfall."

Beaming all around the table, he then added excitedly, "Once the nobles arrive, we'll hold a masked ball in honor of our new Kryptonian friends. Everyone from the ship is invited!"

"That's very kind of you, Your Highness," Kara told him. "Though, I wonder, what does one wear to a...masked ball?"

"You don't have balls on Krypton?" Lana asked, interested.

When Kara shook her head in response, Lana proceeded to explain, "Well, a masked ball is just like a regular ball in that there's dancing and you get to dress up. The only difference is that with a masked ball, you have to wear a costume and cover your face with a mask."

Martha quickly assured her guests, "If you'd like, we can have a tailor work with you on your costumes."

The Kryptonians all thanked the queen.

Then, Chloe gleefully informed them, "There's also going to be games. Lois, Lana, and I will each get to pick out one man from the crowd for a special dance and a kiss, and we can only go by his costume. There's also a prize for the best costume."

"That sounds like fun," Kara opined, smiling warmly.

Kal-El, however, was a bit more apprehensive, given that he possessed a dislike of costumes. He did concede, though, that the game Chloe had described seemed to have merit.

Just then, Dru spoke up, asking Lois enthusiastically, "Do you know what your costume will be?"

She considered a moment, before replying, "I think I'll dress up as the moon."

"Forgive me, Princess Lois, but how can you dress as the moon?"

"You'll just have to wait and see," she teased, her eyes sparkling with good humor.

However, she looked up and her eyes happened to fall upon Kal-El, and they quickly lost their sparkle.

"In that case," Dru declared, blissfully ignorant as to any tension in the room, "I think I'll be the moon too. That is, if you don't mind us matching, Lois?"

Suddenly, Kal-El was struck with a brilliant idea, one unintentionally given him by Dru. In return, he silently thanked the general's son.

"No, I don't mind that, Dru," she assured the boy, her smile returning.

Kal-El decided then and there, _Lois is a beautiful woman, to be sure, but when she smiles, her beauty shines brighter even than the yellow sun._

All of a sudden, the prince was jolted from his thoughts by the sound of Lois's voice; she was excusing herself to go for a walk.

Before she left, though, she reassured Dru with a smile, "Don't worry, I'll be back this afternoon to give you that tour that I promised."

With that, Kal-El watched her go. Then, with a quick glance at Kara and being as polite as he could, he excused himself as well, intent on catching up to Lois. He knew that what he had to speak with her about was much too important to wait.

...

After leaving the palace and wandering around for approximately twenty minutes, Kal-El couldn't find any sign of Lois, nor could he find anyone who had seen her. A servant had informed him she'd left the palace, while one of the guards had directed him down the wooded path he was currently on.

Frustrated that the trail had gone cold, he closed his eyes, and took a deep breath, forcing his other senses to focus on the one he sought. His superhuman hearing picked up a sigh that seemed somehow familiar to him, while a breeze blew through him, carrying with it a scent he'd already grown accustomed to.

Opening his eyes, he noticed some tall grass just up ahead. He soundlessly approached, then carefully parted some of the grass, finding a small lake and Lois standing at the edge of it, her back to him. As he watched her, she slipped out of her dress and underclothes, baring her beauty to nature.

He respectfully averted his gaze, but not before catching a glimpse of her well-formed hips and buttocks. As he kept his eyes from darting back to the beautiful stranger before him, he heard her submerse herself in the water. Then, once it was safe for him to look again, he stepped forward onto the lake shore.

He watched her swim lazily forward a moment, before finally announcing his presence, "Ahem."

"Prince Kal-El!" She spun quickly in the water, nearly jumping out of it.

"I'm sorry, Princess, did I startle you?"

"What are you doing here?!" she demanded indignantly. "Did you follow me?!"

"In a manner of speaking. As I've told you, there's something I need to discuss with you."

"Well, your timing leaves a lot to be desired! Do you think we could possibly discuss it at a time when I'm not naked?!"

"If you'd like, I could join you," he offered, though he knew full well what her answer would be.

Sure enough, she glared hotly at him, as if daring him to see what would happen if he tried it.

The people of Earth, Kal-El knew, viewed sex differently from Kryptonians. Much like humans, Kal-El's people fell in love and had families all the time, but on the whole, they took a more practical view of sexuality. They placed little, if any, emphasis on saving oneself for the marriage bed, and nudity wasn't considered quite as shameful.

"So, you said you had something to discuss with me?" she asked, irritated.

"Yes, but first, I must ask: what have I done to offend you, Princess? We seemed to be getting along so well just yesterday, yet today you've been trying your best to avoid me. And when we have spoken, you've been as cold as you accused me of being."

Lois studied him a moment, briefly weighing her options. Finally, she realized she may as well go ahead and come clean.

With a reluctant sigh, she admitted, "I saw a woman in your quarters last night."

He scoffed softly, as if he actually found her confession amusing, "I knew I heard someone spying on me."

"You actually heard me? But how?"

"When under a yellow sun, my people and I possess certain abilities; enhanced hearing is just one of many. But rest assured, Princess, you have no cause to be jealous. The woman you saw was merely a Kryptonian concubine, a professional caregiver that highborn men sometimes use to relieve stress."

"I know what a concubine is," she snapped at him. "I just didn't realize Kryptonians were in the habit of...using them."

"Oh, yes, it's an ancient custom going back centuries, though some choose to forgo it. My father, for instance; he wanted only to share his bed with my mother."

"How nice for him," she muttered. Then, slipping back into the mask of indifference, she inquired, "I do wonder, Prince Kal-El, how your intended bride feels about you fraternizing with concubines?"

"I'm so glad that you brought that up, since that's actually what I wanted to speak with you about. I wanted you to know that once the nobles arrive and negotiations get underway, I fully intend to ask for your hand."

She was completely taken aback, her cool exterior forgotten, "Wh— As in marriage?!"

"Yes."

"But, but I thought you were already engaged!"

"She's in love with someone else, as I've said. Besides, the only way for our two kingdoms to merge successfully is with a marriage, if for no other reason than that most of my people wouldn't accept you or your father as their ruler. I know you're a smart woman; surely you had to have realized that."

She seemed to be considering that. Then, calming down somewhat, she countered, "Kal-El, I'm sure you're a nice guy and all, but we hardly know each other."

"I know, and I don't want to force you into a marriage, which is why I'm telling you of my intentions beforehand. But, Lois, so much is at stake here. Kara and I wouldn't have traveled all this way if there were no other solution."

For a while, Lois was quiet. Then, finally, she answered slowly, "Alright. I will take your proposal into consideration. I can't promise that I'll accept, but I will at least consider it."

"Thank you, Lois. That's all that I ask."

The next moment lapsed in awkward silence. Finally, Lois cleared her throat, and asked, "Was there anything else? Because I should probably be getting back soon to give Dru that tour I promised him."

"You're very good with him, you know," Kal-El remarked, gazing at her meaningfully.

She immediately caught on as to his meaning, and her indignation returned. Swimming a bit towards the shore, she stood in the shallow end of the lake, her arms folded over her breasts in such a way as to conceal them from his gaze while the water itself obscured her below the waist. For one so modest, it was clearly a dramatic gesture made in the heat of the moment.

"Look, Kal-El," she fumed, "let's make one thing perfectly plain. Even assuming I do accept your proposal, I refuse to be your broodmare!"

"My what?" His eyebrows knit in confusion.

"Broodmare. It's a female horse that's used solely for breeding, but it's also what we call a woman whose only purpose in life is to bear children."

"No, you misunderstand me," he insisted. "Yes, I hope our union produces children, and yes, it pleases me that you'd be an excellent mother. But I wouldn't think of you as a, a broodmare. You'd be my wife, my queen...my equal."

"Oh." Instantly, Lois's stance relaxed, though her arms remained crossed over her breasts. Her cheeks flushed, but otherwise she gave away no sign of her embarrassment. "I'd had no idea Kryptonians were so...progressive. I wish more men on this world thought as you and your people do."

"Yes, it's one reason we Kryptonians make such excellent husbands." He then lowered the pitch of his voice, and added seductively, "One of many."

He knew his best chance at making a marriage with Lois work, or even getting her to marry him in the first place and save his people, was to woo her. Hence, the sales pitch.

Without missing a beat, though, she retorted, "Oh, yes, I saw you practicing your 'husbandly duties' with Maxima last night."

"I already explained that, she was just providing me with some stress relief. She means nothing to me. I was planning on forsaking her once you'd agreed to be my wife, but if she bothers you so much, I can have her sent away immediately. You'd have only to say the word."

Trying for aloof, Lois shrugged, "You're free to do as you wish. It makes no difference to me."

Kal-El, however, knew better.

She then added, "At any rate, I really should be getting back. So, would you be so kind as to turn around so I can get dressed? Even if I accept your proposal, you're still not allowed to see all of me until the wedding night."

"Something to look forward to then," he told her with a hint of a smirk, even as he obliged her.

With his back to her, he heard the sound of the water sloshing as she emerged from the lake, then the rustle of fabric as she snatched up her clothes from the ground and put them back on.

Once she was decent, she moved to stand in front of him. She looked nervous, as if she had something to say and it wasn't easy for her.

Sure enough, she told him, "I just wanted to thank you, Kal-El. For taking me into consideration, for giving me a choice. Not many would do that."

"You are very much welcome, Princess."

Then, tentatively, Lois gave him a quick peck on the cheek in gratitude. He smiled lopsidedly at the gesture, while she tried her best not to make eye contact.

Eventually, she turned to leave, and her shyness turned quickly to annoyance as he called cheekily after her, "If that's what it takes to get a kiss on the cheek, then what would I have to do to earn one on the lips?"

She stopped in her tracks long enough to call back over her shoulder, "Don't push it, Kal-El!"

That only served to deepen his smile as she traipsed off in the direction of the palace.

**TO BE CONTINUED...**


End file.
